What happens when being the "good daughter" becomes the very thing keeping you from living authentically?

In this episode of Rough Edges Podcast, I welcome back returning guest Olivia Alvizo Johnson, a millennial Latina therapist and founder of Liv Curiously Therapy for a heartfelt conversation about healing from people-pleasing, retiring the "good responsible daughter" identity, and learning to reconnect with yourself after years of putting everyone else's needs first.

Drawing from both her professional experience as a therapist and her own personal healing journey, Olivia shares how many women grow up believing that their worth is tied to being responsible, selfless, emotionally available and constantly accommodating the needs of others.

While these traits may have once served as survival strategies in childhood, they often lead to anxiety, perfectionism, emotional exhaustion, overthinking, resentment and difficulty setting healthy boundaries in adulthood.

Together we discuss the importance of emotional boundaries, self-compassion, and replacing self-criticism with curiosity. Olivia shares the inspiration behind Liv Curiously Therapy explaining how becoming more curious instead of critical transformed both her personal healing journey and the work she now does with ambitious women who are ready to stop surviving and start living more authentically.

This episode is an encouraging reminder that healing doesn't begin when everything is perfect, it begins the moment you stop minimizing your experiences, honor your own emotional needs, and give yourself permission to become more than the role you've always been expected to play.

This episode also explores:

● What it means to retire the "good responsible daughter" identity

● Why ambitious women often struggle with anxiety, overthinking, and burnout

● The emotional impact of always being labeled "the responsible one"

● How childhood praise can unintentionally reinforce unhealthy patterns

● The importance of creating emotional boundaries with yourself and others

● Learning to grieve the childhood you needed while embracing the life you deserve

Resources and links mentioned in this episode

● You can connect with Olivia Alvizo here via her INSTAGRAM

● Find out more about Olivia’s Liv Curiously Therapy via her WEBSITE

● Leave a review ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠if anything in today’s episode resonated with you!

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This powerful episode sums up our season 6 finale on the Rough Edges Podcast. Today I sit down with youth empowerment speaker and author Lawrence Harris for a deeply honest conversation about youth mental health, self worth, masculinity, healing, and overcoming limiting beliefs. Lawrence opens up about his own mental health journey, growing up feeling different from his peers, experiencing abuse in childhood, struggling with loneliness, and learning how therapy, journaling, and self discovery helped him step into confidence and purpose.

Together Lawrence and I discuss the realities many young people especially young Black men face when it comes to mental health stigma and emotional suppression. Lawrence shares why he became passionate about working with teens and young adults, highlighting alarming statistics about how long many people suffer before receiving mental health support. The conversation also looks into how cultural expectations, family dynamics, social media, and societal pressures often teach men to hide their emotions instead of addressing them in healthy ways.

Throughout the episode Lawrence breaks down the importance of challenging limiting beliefs and creating a vision for your future beyond what society, family history, or fear tells you is possible. He explains how his workshops help young people dream bigger, identify internal barriers, and begin taking ownership of their healing and personal growth.

This episode is a heartfelt reminder that healing begins when we allow ourselves to be honest about our struggles, challenge the narratives that limit us, and give ourselves permission to become who we were always meant to be.

If this episode resonates with you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need encouragement on their own healing journey.

This episode also explores:

● The impact of toxic masculinity and societal expectations

● Reasons why many men avoid therapy and emotional vulnerability

● Lawrence’s personal experience with therapy as a child

● How to build self-confidence and identity as a young man

● How social media’s influence can affect masculinity and self-worth

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

● You can connect with Lawrence Harris here via his INSTAGRAM & YOUTUBE

● Find out more about Lawrence’s work on his WEBSITE

● Leave a review ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠if anything in today’s episode resonated with you!

● Connect with us on Instagram! (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rough.edges.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

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● Want to be a guest on our show? Send us an email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com

In this new episode, I am joined by trauma specialist Dr. Ken Huey for an honest conversation about men’s mental health, emotional expression, trauma, and healing.

Dr. Huey brings over two decades of experience in behavioral and mental health, with a strong focus on trauma and attachment particularly within the adoptee community. Drawing from both his professional work and personal journey as an adoptee, he shares how his lived experiences shaped his passion for helping individuals with deep trauma histories learn how to build healthy relationships, regulate emotions, and function successfully in society.

We also get into what it really looks like to work in trauma care exploring both the emotional challenges and the deeply rewarding moments. Dr. Huey speaks candidly about the heartbreak of watching clients struggle with self-destructive behaviors, as well as the joy of seeing them grow into more stable, connected, and thriving individuals over time.

Our central focus in this episode is the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. We unpack why so many men are conditioned to suppress their emotions, avoid vulnerability, and “power through” pain. Dr. Huey explains how societal expectations, cultural norms, and even biological tendencies can contribute to emotional suppression while also emphasizing that emotional expression is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice.

This episode also explores:

● Why many men struggle to recognize or admit they need help

● How stoicism and emotional shutdown often show up in relationships and behavior

● The importance of safe spaces and trusted relationships when opening up

● Dr. Huey’s powerful reflections from his own life navigating trauma, learning how to build lasting relationships and finding healing through openness, safe connections, and personal growth

● Addressing internal stigma and fear around vulnerability in men

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

● Connect with Dr. Ken Huey via his podcast!

● Find out more about Dr. Ken and his treatment center Calo on his WEBSITE.

● Leave a review ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠if anything in today’s episode resonated with you!

● Connect with us on Instagram! (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rough.edges.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

● Connect with us on YouTube! (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@roughedgeswithsarah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

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● Want to be a guest on our show? Send us an email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com